Carver’s Leadership

Novelette Peterkin, Chief Executive Officer

Since becoming CEO of The Carver in 2004, Novelette Peterkin has led the organization's transformation from a community center serving Norwalk families into a comprehensive K–12 education, youth development, and workforce-readiness organization serving more than 3,300 students annually. Today, Carver partners with schools across the region, with programs reaching students in every Norwalk public school, Side by Side Charter School, the Carver Community Center, and six schools in Bridgeport.

Under Peterkin's leadership, Carver has built an integrated continuum of before- and after-school programming, summer learning, college and career readiness, paid internships, workforce training, high-school-to-career credential pathways through CT State Community College, and other opportunities designed to help young people succeed in school and prepare for life beyond graduation. Carver students have achieved a 100 percent high school graduation rate since 2005, while the organization has expanded its role as a strategic partner to public schools and developed new pathways connecting students to college, careers, credentials, and meaningful work experience.

Peterkin also serves on the Board of Directors of The Maritime Aquarium. She is a graduate of Harvard Business School's Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management program for CEOs and holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Mercy University and an MBA from the University of New Haven. She is an active member of the National Black MBA Association.

Her community leadership has earned numerous honors, including the YWCA Darien/Norwalk Women of Distinction Award, United Way's Elizabeth Roberts Changing the Odds for Children Award, and recognition among the 100 Women of Color Class of 2025.

Before joining Carver, Peterkin began her career in private wealth management in New York City and later served as Assistant Director of Residential Services at Andrus Children's Center. Her background in finance, human services, and nonprofit leadership has informed more than two decades of growth at Carver and its evolution into a significant educational partner for students, families, schools, and communities across Fairfield County.

Brian Allert, Chief Program Officer

Before joining Carver, Brian served in residential services for the Andrus Children's Center in New York. He is experienced in staff supervision, program development, project management, group facilitation, recruitment and budget management. He is skilled in therapeutic crisis intervention and interpersonal communication. He holds a BS in Psychology from City College of New York and a master's degree in Human Resources from Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY.

Chris Whitney, Chief Financial Officer

Christopher “Chris” Whitney brings more than three decades of senior financial leadership, investment management, and operational expertise to his role as Chief Financial Officer at Carver. Most recently, he served as CFO of Liberation Programs. During his tenure, the organization doubled in size, consistently achieved positive financial results, and modernized key systems. Prior to his nonprofit leadership, Chris spent nearly two decades in the investment and commodities sectors, co-founding and managing hedge funds. His earlier career included service as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Program. Chris holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he was named an Arjay Miller Scholar, and a B.S. with Distinction in Engineering Physics from Cornell University. He also brings deep governance experience through board leadership roles with regional nonprofits, including Fairfield County’s Community Foundation and Person to Person.

Clinton Hamilton, Chief Operating Officer

Clinton served as Executive Director for several Connecticut YMCA’s before joining Carver. In those leadership roles, Clinton gained a reputation for building strategic relationships and achieving the highest level of excellence across cross-functional teams and diverse individuals at all levels. Clinton received an MBA from the University of Hartford after earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing at the University of Connecticut where he also played football.

Carver alumnus and former board member Kenneth Shuler, also known as FNX, is a rap artist who, with Carver kids, created the music video below.

Board of Directors

Officers

Philip Butterfield, President, Social Venture Partners Connecticut; HSBC Bank Of Bermuda, Chairman, Retired

Robert Pennington, Vice President, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Norwalk Public Schools

Mark Ortiz, Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer, Global Student Accommodation

Valerie Watson, Secretary, Vice President & Manager, Patriot Bank

Jonathan Whitcomb, Esq., Legal Counsel, Diserio Martin O’Connor & Castiglioni LLP

Board Members

Deborah Bowen Brennan, Citigroup, Retired; Past Regional Director, National Executive Service Corps; Volunteer

Diaghilev Lubin-Farnell, Connecticut Assistant Attorney General

Ryan Griswold, Managing Director in Rothschild & Co’s Debt Advisory Group

Jay Hinton, Chief Financial Officer, Indagare

Jillian Kaminski, Chief of Staff in the Office of the Vice Chairman and Global Head of Alumni Relations, BlackRock

Novelette Peterkin, Chief Executive Officer, The Carver

Drew Seath, Founder & Managing Director, Absolute Value LLC

Brooke Sorensen, Partner, Co-Head of Product, and Head of Private Markets Product for the Client and Product Solutions Group at Apollo Global Management

Matthew Vodicka, SVP, Senior Director of Product, FactSet

President Emeritus Charles Burns, Clairol, Retired

Immediate Past President, Diana Napier, The Workplace (ex officio member)

Kailee Scales, Chief Advancement Officer

Kailee was formerly the Chief Executive Officer of Pencils of Promise (PoP), the award-winning, globally recognized for-purpose education organization whose mission is to expand access to high-quality education for children around the world. Kailee has an extensive career leading national social causes at the intersection of global development and social justice. She is sought after for her perspectives spanning the spectrum from her frontline, grassroots experiences to the thought leadership she offers to both the private and public sectors. She began her career as a fundraiser and organizer in New York and has worked in 14 countries worldwide, across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and North and South America. She has contributed to global social justice goals, including racial injustice, education, empowering women and girls, and environmental and health inequities. She has worked closely with the WHO, UN, global CEOs, and heads of state, including Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, the Rt Hon Tony Blair, and countless celebrities and influencers, to develop solutions to the world’s most complex problems.

Nikki LaFaye, Director of Philanthropy

Prior to Carver, Nikki served as Director of Foundation Relations and Senior Research Associate at Oxford University’s North American development office in New York. She also held development and programming roles at American Ballet Theatre and a Brooklyn-based performing arts presenter of African Diaspora artists. Nikki earned her BFA in Performing Arts Management from Emerson College (Boston, MA). She lives in Ridgefield, CT with her husband and two children.